Walled enclosures

ABSTRACT

Bend resistant and torsion yielding panel members form panel assemblies, with firm yet detachable connection between the panel assemblies in a knock down construction corral. This construction provides straight line relations between edges and members of the adjacent panel assemblies in absence of stress applied thereto and provides a gentle yet firm snubbing action through an elastic yielding of the panel assemblies when impact is applied thereto by an animal penned therein without any pinching or scratching of the animal. Other walled enclosures of the same construction are applied to truck bodies.

United States Patent 1191 Wheeler et al.

1111 3,744,456 14 1 July 10,1973

[ WALLED ENCLOSURES [76] Inventors: Ralph Wheeler, Waterflow, N. Mex.;

Leroy P. Young, PO. Box 51 1, Kirkland, N. Mex. 87417 22'] Filed: Apr.12,1971

211 App]. 110.; 133,142

[51] Int. Cl A0111 01/00 [58] Field of Search 119/20; 296/3, 10;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,107,900 10/1963De'Paolom'... 256/65 1,285,193 ll/1918' 'Hunt 119/20 2,930,638 3/1960Morrissey... 256/65 UX 3,002,493 10/1961 Galamba 119/20 3,475,04610/1969 Webster 296/3 FOREIGN PATENTS 'OR APPLICATIONS 1,006,996 10/1965 7 Great Britain Primary Examiner-Hugh R. Chamblee Attorney-Ely'Silverman 57 ABSTRACT Bend resistant and torsion yielding panel membersform panel assemblies, with firm yet detachable connection between thepanel assemblies in a knock down construction corral. This constructionprovides straight line relations between edges and members of theadjacent panel assemblies in absence of stress applied thereto andprovides a gentle yet firm snubbingaction through an elastic yielding ofthe panel assemblies when impact is applied thereto by an animal pennedtherein without any pinching or scratching ofthe animal. Other walledenclosures of the same construction are applied to truck bodies.

7 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures iLizzA PATENTED JUL 3. 744.456

SHEEI 1 0F 4 1N VENTORS ATTORNEY PAIENTEUJUL' 1019K 744,455

SHEET 2 0f 4 6e ELEROYP You/vs AND RALPH WHEELER INVENTORS ATTORNEYPATENIEuJuumm 3744.456

saw u or 4 LEROY P. YOUNG 7 2 AND RALPH WHEELER INVENTORS ORNEY WALLEDENCLOSURES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of art to which thisinvention pertains are in animal husbandry and, more particularly, instocks, stanchions, and stock sorters.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART It is necessary that the head of a showhorse intended for sale be permitted to be raised and movement allowedto the animal; tie downs are thusundesirable.

A space for the animals movement which is at least 10 feet wide and 10feet long is required for a standing adult horse: however, forportability, the components of such enclosures should be small enough tobe rapidly handled during assembly and dismantling; hence such pens aremade of smaller units which are assembled site of proposed use.

The prior art has provided knock down corrals but the joints orconnection of the panels forming such portable corrals have been eitherloose, which resulted in linear irregularity between adjacent panels (asin US Pat. No. 2,835,223), i.e., a loss of straight line relationshipsof edges and structural elements on either side of such joints. Wherethere is attempt to avoid this irregularity by making the joints stiffas in U.S. Pat. No. 3,002,493 such stiffness between adjacent panels inundesirable inasmuch as such animals as would be kept in such corralsbump into these panels and as the panels are stiffly joined togethereither. the animal would be hurt by such impact or the corral jointswould be broken by the impact of such animal with its panel. The

scratching or damage of a show animal is "a serious mat- I ter to itsvalue and the rigidity of fenced stalls also is dangerous in view of theextreme brittleness of the lower leg bones of thoroughbreds and racersand the nervous behavior of such animals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The strong resistance of bars or beam membershaving a transverse cross section in the shape of a hollow square tobending about an axis perpendicular to the edges of such beams and theirrelatively low yet elastic resistance to torsion about an axis parallelto its edges and located within the beam is utilized to provide a pen orenclosure structure which is composed ofpanels comprising such members.Such pen or enclosure or corral structure is;

a. readily cleaned and b. avoids elements that pinch the animal thereinand c. exhibits a symmetrical appearance and d. provides for an elasticreturn of the members displaced from their initial position because ofan impact thereon by the restrained animal to the initial position ofthe parts of the corral or enclosure walls and e. the torsionalcharacteristics of the bars are utilized to provide an impact-asorbingstructure which provides an increasing resistance to impact as itsdisplacement increases i.e., the structure provides a snubbing actionwhich initially applies only a small reaction force to an animal bumpingagainst such panels and, as further impact or force is applied thereto,a greater reaction is developed by the panel structure sufficient topreventsuch assembled corral from being knocked down by usually metimpacts.

This method of construction is also applied to frames for purposes fortransport of such animals where the same mechanical features aredesirable i.e., a light initial resistance to movement followed by agreater resistance to further mechanical movement and an elastic returnof the'structural elements to their initial position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of acorral apparatus 20 according to this invention with an animal enclosedtherein.

FIG. 2 shows the components of apparatus 20 in FIG. 1 broken down and incompact position for transport.

FIG. 3 diagramatically represents the deflections suffered by thecomponents of a panel 86 of apparatus 20 when stress is applied thereto.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of some components of FIG. 3 as seen in thedirection of the arrow 4A of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of one bar element and a post element in zone5A of FIG. 4 in operatively joined position.

FIG. 6 is a view of the structure components shown in FIG. 5 in theirexploded, separated, position.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the plane DESCRIPTION OF THEPREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 20-according to this invention is aportable corral of knock down construction formed of a plurality ofpanels, each panel formed of rigid square vertical posts and rigidhorizontally spaced apart square hollow horizontal bar members. Thevertical posts each have firmly attached thereto horizontally extendingrigid lugs firmly yet slidably fitted into one of the hollow ends of thehorizontal members at each end of the horizontal bar members. A lockingelement connects one end of each horizontal bar member to an adjacentpost.

Embodiment 20 encloses a space 18 wherein is located a large animal 19'such as a horse. Apparatus 20 comprises, in operative combination, avertically extending front wall and gate assembly 46, a verticallyextending-right side wall assembly 47, a vertically extending rear wallassembly 48, and a vertically extending left wall assembly 49.Assemblies 46, 47, 48, and 49 are all of the same height and of the samelength. The left side wall assembly 49 comprises a plurality ofvertically extending posts, i.e., rear left corner vertical post 21, acenter or middle left vertical post 22, and a front left corner verticalpost 23 and horizontal bars 31 40 therebetween as shown in FIG. 1. I

The front wall and gate assembly 46 is composed of a front center gatepanel 80, a front left side panel 81 and a front right side panel 82 inoperative connection.

The front left panel 81 is composed of a series of vertically equispacedhorizontal bars 41 through 45, a portion of the left front cornervertical post 23, and a left center front panel post 24.

Front right panel 82 is composed of a front right corner post 26,identical in structure to left front corner post 23, and a right centerfront panel post 25 substantially identical in structure to post 24,with horizontal bar elements as 41A, 42A, 43A, 44A, and 45A'corresponding to elements 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45 respectively as shownin FIG. 1.

The door panel 80 is composed of elements as hereinbelow described. Theright side wall assembly 47 is substantially identical in structure toleft side wall assembly 49 and the rear wall assembly 48.

The right side wall assembly 47 comprises, in operative combination, arear right vertical post, 21A, a front right vertical post, 26, a centeror middle right vertical post, 26, (a center or middle right verticalpost 22A corresponds structurally to post 22, and 21A to 23) and aplurality of horizontal bar elements as 31 through 40.

The rear wall assembly 48 comprises the rear right vertical post 21A,the rear left vertical post 21, a center of middle rear post (not shown)corresponding to post 22 and a plurality of horizontal bar elementscorresponding to bar elements 31 through 40. In the preferredembodiment, the horizontal bars 31 through 40 are identical in structureto each other as well as to the horizontal bars corresponding thereto inthe right side wall assembly 47 and in the rear wall assembly 48.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention an exemplary bar 32 has aflat top face 54, a flat inner face 55, a flat outer face 56 and a flatbottom portion 57. These form a rigid square seamless tube; all thesewalls are firmly joined to each other at their edges, the edges aresmoothly rounded on their outer periphery to avoid any cutting orscratching of the animal penned therein and are also rounded internallyto limit stress concentration and cracking.

The left side wall assembly center post 22 is described with details ofstructure and operation of the left side wall assembly 49. Thedescription therefor would be the same for the center post structure andthe operation of the rear wall assembly 48 and for the right side wallassembly 47 as all these center posts and wall assemblies have a commonstructure and function.

The left rear corner post 21 is identical in structure to the left frontcorner post as 23 on the same side wall and also as the corner post atthe junction of rear wall assembly 48 and right wall assembly 47 and issame in structure as the corner post 26 at the junction of wallassemblies 47 and 46.

The left wall center post 22 is a rigid squaresectioned hollow post: itcomprises, firmly connected together in operative combination, a frontvertical face 51, a left or outer face 52, a right or inner verticalface 50, and a rear vertical face 53 and a base plate 221. The plates50, 51, 52, and 53 are rigid and joined with rounded smooth outercorners: plate 22P is rigidly attached to all of plates 50, 51, 52, and53 and is rigid and horizontal. Post 22 is located in the middle of theleft side wall assembly 49.

The bars 31 through 35 and posts 21 and 22 of the left side wallassembly 49 form a rear left side wall panel 85 and posts 22 and 23 andbars 36 through 40 from front left side wall panel 86. The bars andposts of assembly 47 form similar rear and front right panels, A and 86Arespectively, and the bar and postsof as sembly 48 form similar left andright rear panels 85B and 8613.

A plurality of like rigid ears, as 72, each with a vertical rigid plateas 59 and a horizontal rig'id'plate as 58, are each equally spaced fromits vertically adjacent member in a vertical direction as ears 71, 72,73, 74, and 75 located on one, the front, side of post 22 and, on theother, rear, side, 53, thereof are located like ears 66, 67, 68, 69, and70. Each of the cars 66 through 75 (or lugs) as 72 is formed with arigid vertical extending plate as 59 and a horizontal plate as 58 firmlyjoined together and both firmly joined to a side wall, as 53, of thepost (as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 and 10 for the ear or lug 72). The ear72 is rigid and stout and firmly attached to a bar as 38; likewise, eachof ears as 66 through 75 is of same structure as cars 71 through 75 andeach is firmly attached to the post element 22 on the face 51 thereof atthe same height as ears 71 through 75 respectively in same manner as isear 72.

The top surface of each bar as 38, is firmly attached to one end of aleaf spring as 27 which, at its other end, supports a pin 28 whichprojects throughia hole 29 in upper plate 54 of bar 38 and such pin 28projects into the hole 30 provided in the portion 58 of the lug 72 inthe attached position of bar 38 and post 22 as shown in FIGS. 5, 7, and9.

The corner post 23 has a rear face 91, a front face 92, a left or outerface 93, and a right or inner face 94. This post is provided on face 91with a set of equally spaced ears 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65 corresponding inheight and structure and made of attachment to the ears 71, 72, 73, 74,and 75 on the element 22 and abase plate 23? below the lowest lug. Thefaces 91, 92, 93, and 94 are rigid and joined with rounded smooth outercorners. Base plate 23? is a rigid horizontal plate firmly attached toall of plates 91 through 94.

The cars 111, 112, 113, 114, and are structurally the same as car 72 andare located on the face 94 of post 23 at the same level as the cars 61,62, 63, 64, and 65 respectively are joined thereto. as shown in FIG. 4.

Bar 36 joins ears 61 and 71, bar 37 similarly joins ears 62 and 72 bar38 similarly joins the ears 63 and 73, bar 39 joins the ears 64,and 74,and bar 40 joins the ears 65 and 75.

Each of the ears as 72 has a firm yet slidable fit within the hollow inthe adjacent end of the bar as 38 and a hole as 30 at the top of eachear plate portion or face as 58. Each such hole, as 30, is located adistance from the juncture of that plate as S8 and the post to whichthat ear is attached and the hole 29 (and pin 28) located a veryslightly smaller distance from the end of the bar as 38 to which end thecar (72) attaches so that the bar as 38 readily fits on the ear as 72and the pin as 28 fits into the holes therefor. The locking pin as 28 islocated by a leaf spring as 27 which resiliently urges it toward andinto such hole 29 and 30. Such pin holds the adjacent end of each bar as38 to the post as 22 attached to such ear as 72.

Each of the pairs of pin elements, as 28, at each end of each horizontalbar as 38 serves to prevent motion of the adjacent vertical posts as 22and 23 toward and away from each other, along the length or longitudinalaxis 38L of the bar 38; because of the tensile and compressive strengthof the bar, as 38, and the firm attachment of the pins as 28 thereto.Such bars as 38 thus serve to locate the vertical members 21, 22, and 23at predetermined equal spacing from each other along the length of thebar members as 32 therebetween.

Each plate 58 and 59 of ear 72 is firmly welded to the adjacent verticalface 53 of the post 22 as shown at 90 in FIG. 8 at the faces of the flatportions as 58 and 59 of the car 72 where an inside corner is formed,i.e., below the lower surface 118 of portion 58 of ear 72 and at theouter (to left as shown in FIG. 7) surface 119 of plate portion 59. theposts When each ear as 72 is operatively connected to the adjacent barend (as the end of bar 38 adjacent to ear 72, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5,7, and 9), the outer (left in FIG. 7) edge 98 of the rigid plate portionas 58 of each ear as 72 meets and contacts with a loose sliding fit theinside (right side as shown in FIG. 7) vertical inner surfaces of theupper outer (left as shown in FIG. 7) corner of the bar 38 while thebottom edge 99 of plate portion is located at the lower and inner (rightside as shown in FIG. 7) corner on the inside of the bar 38. The topface or plate 96 of the ear plate portion 58 meets and contacts thebottom surface 104 of the upper plate portion 54 of the bar 38 and theinner (right in FIG. 8) vertical face 97 of the ear plate portion 59 ofthe ear 72 similarly meets and contacts the central surface 105 of thevertical plate portion 55 of the bar 38. The outer edge 98 of ear 72similarly tits and contacts the inner central surface 106 of the plate56 of the bar 38; the bottom edge 99 of the plate portion 59 of the ear72 also contacts the top surface 107 of the bottom portion 57 of the barmember 38. All of the ears as 72 have a rather length and width edgeportions and these edges as 98 and 99 take up and resist any attemptedtwisting of the bar 38 about its longitudinal axis as 38L relative tothe vertical longitudinal axis 22L of the vertical member 22.

Each of the ears as 72 extends into the hollow of the adjacent bar as 38distance beyond the hole as 29 and the exterior corners and surfaces ofthe rigid plates 58 and 59 meet and match the exterior surfaces of thebar 38 at three interior corners thereof rotation of each bar 'as 38where itis in contact with the lug or ear as 72 (or 62) about itslongitudinal axis relative to the longitudinal axis of each adjacentpost (as 23 for ear 62 and post 22 for ear 72) is thereby substantiallyeliminated.

When a section or panel as 86 according to this invention is stressed byan animal held in the enclosure by such animal bumping or pushingagainst the top bar member of such as 86 or against a post thereof as 22at the level of an upper bar member as 40 in an outward direction (shownas leftward in FIG. 3) from the inside of the enclosure in a directionas 4A or 22F (in FIG. 3) parallel to the ground and perpendicular to thepost 22, the panel is resiliently deformed. More particularly, the post22 then is rotated in the direction 22F around the longitudinal axis 36Lof member 36 from the position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3 to theposition of the post 22 shown in full lines. On such displacement thepost 23 is moved in the direction 23R parallel to the centrallongitudinal axis 40L of the element 40. This outward motion of the topend of the post 22 (along the direction of the arrow 22F) results in:

a. Twisting of the bar 40 about its longitudinal axis as indicated bythe arrow 40T and rotation about axis 23L of post 23,

b. A twisting of the bar 39 as indicated by the arrow 39T and rotationabout axis 23L by bar 39.

c. Twisting of the bar 38 as indicated by the arrow 38T about itslongitudinal axis 38L and rotation about axis 23L of post 23,

d. Twisting of the bar elements 37 and 36 as shown by the arrows 37T and36T around the longitudinal axes of those bar .elements and theirrotation about axis 23L of post 23.

As the bar element 40 is rigid against bending notwithstanding suchdisplacement of its rear end outward (leftward as shown in FIG. 3),movement of the upper portion of the panel 86 from outward impact of theanimal against the upper portion of that panel 86 at some pointintermediate of post 23 and post 22 also results in the above describedrotational movement of the post 22 and resilient twisting of barelements 36 through 40 about their longitudinal axes between the pointsat which such bar members are firmly attached to the post members (as 22and 23) as the ends of such bar members. The torsional stress is takenup by the mechanical contact of the interior corners and surface of thebar, as 38, with the outer corners and outer surfaces of the ears, as72, on each post. The pin, as 28, only absorbs some longitudinal stressalong the length of the bar member but is not required to absorb orwithstand the torsional stress developed by the above described motionas the hole 30 is large enough to provide a loose fit (+0.0l" to 0.10")over the pin 28 or a screw with lock nut used in place thereof;alternatively, the hole 29 may have a loose fit (+0.0l" to 0.10) about aself tapping screw extending through the plate 54 into the holes as 30.

Accordingly the horizontal displacement of the top of the post as 22 onapplication of outwardly directed stress thereto causes a rotational ortorsional elastic deflection of each of the bars 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40proportional to such stress. There is also concurrently an increasingelastic rotational deflection of each of the portions 76T, 77T, 78T, and79T of each of the portions of the post 23. On removal of the stressapplied thereto i.e., on removal of the stress applied either to thepost 22 or to an area of the panel 86 intermediate of the posts 22 and23, such posts return to their original vertical position. Thisstructural arrangement of bars, ears, and posts at each panel of thestructure 20 provides that the structure 20, because it yields, does notprovide damage to an animal that might bump into it. At the same timethe structure 20 is sufficiently strong to resist the usual maximumimpact of an animal against such walled enclosure and sufficientlyelastic for the structure to regain its initial orientation of straightbars intersecting vertical posts in a symmetrical and homogeneouspattern and thus the structure is not given any permanent deflection bythe usual impact of a large animal against the components thereof.

When the lower end of any panel as 86 of the structure 20 is stressed byan animal striking or pushing on the lower portion of the panel as 86 oragainst a post thereof as 22 in an outward direction at the level of thebar member 36 i.e., at the lower end of the panel, the bottom portion ofthe post 22 is rotated in an outward direction, 22C, and the barelements 36 through 40 are twisted in a direction opposite to that shownby the arrows 36T through 40T respectively and the lower'end of post 23moves in the direction of the arrow 36L2;

this is generally an opposite motion of that shown in FIG. 3 but theresiliency is the same.

The structure 20 thus resiliently returns to the relationship of partswhether struck at its top or at its bottom without reliance onattachment of any part thereof to the ground. Aditionally, as embodiment20 may be erected without attachment to the ground, the lack ofattachment of the entire structure to the ground of structure 20 permitsthat the entire structure 20 yields and moves when a blow is given tothat structure by an animal restrained in that enclosure, which blowmight otherwise damage the animal striking the enclosure walls if theywere permanently affixed to the ground.

In a particular embodiment the bar elements 36 through 40 are feet long,1 inch wide and walls are 3/32 inch thick; the fit of each end of eachbar is by a smooth sliding fit with the ears therefor, the ears are each2 inches i l/l6 inch long, it inch 1- l/l6 inch wide, /4 inch 1: H16inch high and made of steel 3/16 inch thick; hole 30 is 9/32 inch andhole 29 is 7/32 inch. The post 22 yields k inch on application theretoof a force of five pounds in direction of arrow 22 of FIG. 3 as resultof the resilient yield of the bar members as 31 through 40 in theoperative combination of panel 86 in structure 20.

The gate panel 80 is composed of left and right vertical post members 87and 89 respectively, firmly joined by horizontal gate bar members 41B,42B, 43B, 44 B and 458. The posts 87 and 89 have the same structure asposts 24 and 25: each of posts 24, 25, 87 and 89 comprises a verticalmember as in posts 22 and 23 with ears as 71-75 similarly attachedthereto at one side only thereof. The horizontal gate bar members as41B-45B have the same structure and operation as bar members 36-40. Theconnection of the horizontal gate members 418-458 to the post members 87and 89 is the same as above described for the connection of the barelements 36-40 to posts 22 and 23; the connection of the horizontalfront panel members as 41A-45B and 418-458 to the post members of panels81 and 82 is the same as above described for connection of the barmembers 3640 to theposts 22 and 23 through vertically spaced-aparthinges, one near to top member 453, one at level of member 43B and oneat level of member 41B; the post 87 is firmly yet releasably attached topost 24 at three vertically spaced-apart points (one at level of bar418, another at level of bar 43B and another at level of bar 4513) byreleasable bolts passing through post 87 and 24, each bolt held by anut.

The structure may be attached to the ground by ground engaging pinsthrough holes as 22H in the plates (e.g. 23P, 21?) as 22F at the bottomof each post as 21, 22, and 23.

FIG. 2 shows the components of the structure 20 in a collapsed positionfor transport on a trailer 88.

The same resilient return is shown in a trailer structure as 120 in FIG.11 or 121 in FIG. 12 wherein panels are connected as in structure 20.

The stock rack 120 as shown in FIG. 11 provides a bay as 132 over thecab as 131 of the truck 136 for carrying feed or baggage. The stock rack120 is composed of wall enclosure panels as 122, 123, 125, 126 and 124corresponding in structure and operation to enclosure wall panels 85,86, 85A, 86A and 80, respectively, of embodiment 20. The panels 122 and123 are firmly attached to the side wall 133 of the truck 136, and thepanels 125 and 126 are similarly attached to the panel on the other sideof the'truck. The swing gate panel 124 is attached to the rear verticalposts of panels 123 and 125 in the same manner as above discussed forattachment of panel to posts 24 and 25 of the embodiment The stock rack121 shown in FIG. 12 provides a gate that slides up and down and isreleasably bolted to the back of the bed of the pick-up truck 137. Thestock rack 121 is composed of panels 140, 141, 143, 144 and 142corresponding in structure and operation to panels 86A, A, 85, 86 andassembly 48 respectively of embodiment 20. Panels and 141 are firmlyattached at their bottom to the top of the side wall 1340f the truck137; and the panels 143 and 144 are similarly attached to the other sideof the truck 137. The rear gate assembly 145 is composed of a verticalright rear side panel 146 and a vertical rear left side panel 147, and abridging bar 149 and a gate panel 148. panels 147 and 146 correspond instructure and operation to panels 81 and 82 of embodiment 20, and arefirmly attached to and joined at their bottom to the rear lateralportions of the truck body.

Bar 149 is a rigid bar member composed of the same square sectioned barsas 36, rigid against bending about an axis transverse to its edges, yetresiliently twistable about an axis parallel to the length of such bar.It is joined permanently at its ends to the central vertical posts ofpanels 146 and 147 (such as 24 and 25 of assembly 46 of embodiment 20).Central panel 148 corresponds in structure to panel 80 and is slidablyattached to central vertical posts of the panels 146 and 147 and may bereleasably and firmly attached to the body of the truck 137.

We claim:

1. A portable corral of knock-down construction formed with a pluralityof panels firmly joined to each other, each of said panels formed of aplurality of vertically extending posts and vertically spaced aparthorizontal bars,

the vertical posts each having firmly and fixedly attached thereto aplurality of horizontally extending rigid ears,

each of said horizontal bars at one end firmly yet releasably supportedon one of said ears with a smooth sliding fit, releasable holding meansbetween said bar and said ear and releasably holding said ear and saidbar together,

each of said holding means comprising a pin and a hole in said bar and ahole in said ear, and said pin is of a smaller outer diameter than theinner diameter of the hole in said ear and said ear extends from avertical post a distance greater than the distance of its hole from theend of said post and the distance of the hole in the bar from the end ofthe bar is a very slightly smaller distance than the distance of thehole in the ear from the post towhich that ear is attached, and wherebyeach such pin holds the adjacent end of each ear to the post thereforand wherein the fit of the holding means in each said ear is looser thanthe fit of said bar on said ear, each said bar being resilientlytwistable about its longitudinal axis.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said ears are formed of hollow squaresectioned bars withrounded exterior edges.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said posts are formed of hollowsquare sectioned bars with rounded exterior edges.'

4. Apparatus as in claim 2 supported on the ground and free of attachingmeans between said'corral and the ground supporting it.

5. A resilient walled enclosure comprising a plurality of panels firmlyjoined to each other, each of said panels formed of a plurality ofvertically extending posts and vertically spaced apart horizontal bars,the vertical posts each having firmly and fixedly attached thereto aplurality of horizontally extending rigid ears,

each of said horizontal bars at one end firmly yet releasably supportedon one of said ears with a smooth sliding fit and releasable holdingmeans between each said bar and said ear and releasably holding said earand said bar and each of said holding means comprising a pin and a holein .said bar and a hole in said ear, and said pin is of a smaller outerdiameter than the inner diameter of the hole in said ear and said earextends from its vertical post a distance greater than the distance ofsaid hole from the end of said post and the distance of the hole in thebar from the end of the bar is a very slightly smaller distance than thedistance of the hole in the ear from the post to which that ear isattached, and such pin holds the adjacent end of each bar to the postand wherein the fit of the holding means in each said ear is looser thanthe fit of said bar on said ear, each bar being resiliently twistableabout its longitudinal axis.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said ears are formed of hollowsquare sectioned bars with rounded exterior edges and wherein said postsare formed of hollow square sectioned bars with rounded exterior edges.

7. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said panels are arrayed in anend-to-end series and said series includes a gate member movable withrespect to adjacent panels of said series, and the panel membersadjacent the gate member and spaced apart by said gate member are joinedto a beam which is resiliently twistable about its longitudinal axis andsubstantially rigid against bending about an axis perpendicular to saidlongitudinal axis.

1. A portable corral of knock-down construction formed with a pluralityof panels firmly joined to each other, each of said panels formed of aplurality of vertically extending posts and vertically spaced aparthorizontal bars, the vertical posts each having firmly and fixedlyattached thereto a plurality of horizontally extending rigid ears, eachof said horizontal bars at one end firmly yet releasably supported onone of said ears with a smooth sliding fit, releasable holding meansbetween said bar and said ear and releasably holding said ear and saidbar together, each of said holding means comprising a pin and a hole insaid bar and a hole in said ear, and said pin is of a smaller outerdiameter than the inner diameter of the hole in said ear and said earextends from a vertical post a distance greater than the distance of itshole from the end of said post and the distance of the hole in the barfrom the end of the bar is a very slightly smaller distance than thedistance of the hole in the ear from the post to which that ear isattached, and whereby each such pin holds the adjacent end of each earto the posT therefor and wherein the fit of the holding means in eachsaid ear is looser than the fit of said bar on said ear, each said barbeing resiliently twistable about its longitudinal axis.
 2. Apparatus asin claim 1 wherein said ears are formed of hollow square sectioned barswith rounded exterior edges.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein saidposts are formed of hollow square sectioned bars with rounded exterioredges.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 2 supported on the ground and free ofattaching means between said corral and the ground supporting it.
 5. Aresilient walled enclosure comprising a plurality of panels firmlyjoined to each other, each of said panels formed of a plurality ofvertically extending posts and vertically spaced apart horizontal bars,the vertical posts each having firmly and fixedly attached thereto aplurality of horizontally extending rigid ears, each of said horizontalbars at one end firmly yet releasably supported on one of said ears witha smooth sliding fit and releasable holding means between each said barand said ear and releasably holding said ear and said bar and each ofsaid holding means comprising a pin and a hole in said bar and a hole insaid ear, and said pin is of a smaller outer diameter than the innerdiameter of the hole in said ear and said ear extends from its verticalpost a distance greater than the distance of said hole from the end ofsaid post and the distance of the hole in the bar from the end of thebar is a very slightly smaller distance than the distance of the hole inthe ear from the post to which that ear is attached, and such pin holdsthe adjacent end of each bar to the post and wherein the fit of theholding means in each said ear is looser than the fit of said bar onsaid ear, each bar being resiliently twistable about its longitudinalaxis.
 6. An apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said ears are formed ofhollow square sectioned bars with rounded exterior edges and whereinsaid posts are formed of hollow square sectioned bars with roundedexterior edges.
 7. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said panels arearrayed in an end-to-end series and said series includes a gate membermovable with respect to adjacent panels of said series, and the panelmembers adjacent the gate member and spaced apart by said gate memberare joined to a beam which is resiliently twistable about itslongitudinal axis and substantially rigid against bending about an axisperpendicular to said longitudinal axis.